Abstract

Speed Restriction Zones (SRZ) are designated areas within the ocean where vessels must adhere to a slower speed requirement. Recently implemented SRZs have been introduced to create additional protections for the Northern Right Whale, and now the recently discovered Rice’s Whale. Since 2008, such zones have predominantly been utilized along the U.S. East Coast in an effort to reduce vessel strikes against these cetaceans and conserve their populations. With Rice's whales having been identified in the Gulf of Mexico as their own species in 2021, population surveys are estimating their numbers to be near 50 individuals. This discovery has led to a petition for a year-round regulation to establish a “Vessel Slowdown Zone” that would stretch throughout the Northeast Gulf of Mexico, including area off the West coast of Florida. This petition was generated in April of this year and currently has no set date to finalize the decision. In this study, we identify opinions regarding the proposed regulation in the Gulf of Mexico by surveying various stakeholders. Additionally, based on data gathered on the efficiency of the current speed restriction zones, we can propose recommendations that reflect the possible and/or best practices that both protect the whales as well as the regional communities/industries involved.